7 Questions – Sveta Wilkson (Horton's Kids)

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Julia Cain

Let’s welcome to “7 cialis soft tavs Questions” … Sveta Wilkson, Development Coordinator of Horton’s Kids, which has served as a second family to over 1,500 children from the Ward 8 housing projects for two decades. Also … we are sending many Catalogue cheers to Horton’s Kids for receiving the 2011 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management just last night!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

Earlier this month, we hosted our third annual Home Runs for Horton’s Kids fundraiser at Nationals Park. Guests got the chance to bat on the field with Nationals staff, take pictures with Screech, bid in a silent auction, and just have tons of fun at this private event at the ballpark. Children also raced Teddy, one of the Nationals Presidents mascots. Our Board of Directors and many generous corporate sponsors helped make this event a success and raised a 1/3 of this year’s operating budget.

2. What else are you up to?

Horton’s Kids is wrapping up our tutoring program for the school year and gearing up for summer. Every year, we have a six-week, literacy-focused summer camp for the younger children. I’m looking forward to helping out our education staff and attending field trips like exploring local museums and swimming at the pool.

The application process for the for the 2011 Washington Post Award for Excellence in Nonprofit Management also helped us take a big picture look at all of our management practices, and I am looking forward to hearing other nonprofit leaders speak about what has worked for them.

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In The News …

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Julia Cain

Non-profit and related news for your Wednesday morning …

Shattered Missouri City Digs Out – The Wall Street Journal reported yesterday that “the twister in Missouri was one of 68 reported across seven Midwest states over the weekend … the Joplin disaster extended a season of tornadoes and flooding that has staggered communities in the country’s midsection from Minnesota to Mississippi.” We discussed several ways to help out (and follow the aftermath) yesterday, plus you can check out the Kansas City’s Star’s list and the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation‘s Facebook page.

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Why I got arrested for DC voting rights — Check out this compelling Post opinion piece by Diane Bernstein of DC’s Diane and Norman Bernstein Foundation. She writes: “I am proud of my work over the past 40 years as a staff member, officer, founder or funder of organizations serving the District?s children and families … It is in part for District children that I now take action on behalf of democracy in the District.” To learn more about DC voting rights, you can also check out Catalogue non-profit DC Vote.

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Quote for Monday

Posted on May 23, 2011 by Julia Cain

“I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can.

I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work the more I live.”

– George Bernard Shaw (1856-1950)

Around Town: May 20-22

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Julia Cain

We’re supposed to have a sunny weekend! Which you should definitely consider spending with a Catalogue non-profit …

National Park Trust (at Madison Drive NW & 15 Street NW)

This Friday, 500 DC area Buddy Bison students will unite on the ground of the Washington Monument for a fun-filled day of environmental learning. Your family can pledge to participate in National Kids to Parks Day by visiting a park in your community.

District of Columbia Arts Center (2438 18th Street NW)

Trojan Women: A Love Story is back at DCAC this Friday at 10:00 PM & Saturday at 3:00 PM — “stylish blackbox bohemian goodness!”

The Theatre Lab School of the Dramatic Arts (at Theater J, 1529 16th Street NW)

It’s a late-night Dramathon! Friday at 11:00 PM, your favorite Washington actors will perform in readings of brand-new plays by local writers. Proceeds benefit the Send a Kid to Theatre Camp campaign.

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Forging A Bond

Posted on May 19, 2011 by Julia Cain

Talk about an intense matching grant. According to the Chronicle of Philanthropy, Massachusetts (my place of residence from age 0 to 18) has begun consideration of “a financing approach for social-service projects that would require charities and philanthropists to obtain private financing and show results before getting state money.” In other words, public support would be contingent on a match from private donors and a “match” (in the form of results) from the non-profit itself.

Reuters reports that “President Barack Obama’s 2012 budget plan includes $100 million for these ‘social impact bonds,’ which more closely resemble private loans than debt.” For example? In the UK, the Rockefeller Foundation invested half a million dollars in an 8 million dollar project to reduce recidivism; were the project to succeed the Foundation “could reap the equivalent of up to a 13 percent annual interest rate payment.”

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In The News …

Posted on May 18, 2011 by Julia Cain

Good morning! It’s Wednesday news day …

A pattern of HUD projects stalled or abandoned — Many have likely read this already (check out the 1300+ comments), but just in case: the Post recently released the results of an investigation into over 5,1000 housing construction projects across the country, 700 of which have “have languished for a decade or longer even as much of the country struggles with record-high foreclosures and a dramatic loss of affordable housing.” And at a time when demand far outpaces supply, “early one in seven projects shows signs of significant delay.” What is your take? (Do check out the reaction on DCentric too)

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7 Questions – Adrien C. Finlay (Alexandria Symphony Orchestra)

Posted on May 17, 2011 by Julia Cain

Let’s welcome … Adrien C. Finlay, Executive Director of the Alexandria Symphony Orchestra since the 07-08 Season. Committed to artistic excellence and dedicated to entertaining and educating a wide range of audience members, the ASO has been offering classical and inter-arts programming since 1954. Check them out!

1. What was your most interesting recent project, initiative, partnership, or event?

Producing a new jazz orchestra series this season, with the most recent concert being a smashing success. We re-created Charlie Parker’s album, “Charlie Parker with Strings,” where he took some of the best songs of his colleagues (Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington) and arranged them for small orchestra, rhythm section, and alto saxophone soloist. The concert allowed us to branch out into new repertoire, pull in new audiences who were either jazz fans or fans of our saxophone soloist (Vaughn Ambrose), and present ourselves at Artisphere, Arlington’s new cultural center. Vaughn Ambrose is the band director of Hammond Middle School in Alexandria and it was such a joy to see so many of his students and their parents at the concert supporting him, and the ASO. Continue reading →

Quote for Monday

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Julia Cain

From “Looking for the good news about orchestras” on the Post’s Classical Beat blog:

Alan is taking just the kind of approach more and more orchestras are looking to these days. He represents a particular new-music, Gen-X sensibility, something even the Chicago Symphony is reaching for [...]

However, the bottom line is that the success of any new initiative — and the definition of “success” is fodder for a blog post of its own — depends in no small part on the organization’s motivation for launching the initiative in the first place. Too often, such attempts seem born of a vague sense that New is good, or, more cynically, of an idea that New gets funding, or, more desperately, of a realization that if something doesn’t change, the organization is sunk. But if New doesn’t fit in with your organization’s mandate, it’s not going to get you very far [...]

So which orchestras appear to be doing the best? The ones that seem to have sound artistic vision and energy: the Los Angeles Philharmonic, for instance. The ones who have established a genuine relationship to their communities [...] Then there are the ones that genuinely represent different models [...]

All of which invites a few simple questions: what qualifies as a genuinely “different model?” Not just for orchestras and performing arts organizations, but anyone? And how “different” can you get without disassociating from your mission? It seems like a tough — albeit, beneficial, thought-provoking — line to walk.

Around Town: May 14-15

Posted on May 13, 2011 by Julia Cain

Happy mid-May, friends. We have a serious bundle of events coming your way this weekend. Attend and enjoy!

Saturday, May 14

3:00 PM — The Downtown Players take the DCAC stage this afternoon (and again at 7:30 PM) in DCPS, a moving drama about the relationships and daily complexities of an urban high school.

4:00 PM — Join Dance Place at THEARC for an Intergenerational Celebration, showcasing the talent of Kids on the Move and Coyaba Dance Theater’s students; plus, each paying adult may receive a free ticket for one child 12 and under.

7:30 PM — Catch the Joy Of Motion‘s Youth Dance Ensemble in concert at AU … or enjoy a showcase of new choreography at 8:00 PM at JOMDC’s Friendship Heights home. Double the dance this weekend!

8:00 PM — Fairfax Symphony Orchestra presents Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, “Resurrection,” along with the Fairfax Choral Society at George Mason.

10:00 PM — Looking for a late-night, high-energy event? Catch Trojan Women: A Love Story at DCAC (it’s “stylish black box bohemian goodness”).

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